The final of the 6th Memorial Pajetta is Pallacanestro Trieste-Reyer Venezia. A whole series A challenge, which the Trieste team accesses thanks to the success on the Apu Old Wild West Udine, while Reyer bent Turin 84-63 in the first semifinal.
Do not deceive the 20 points difference, Udine played a very good test halfway through the game, then the foreseeable physical decline arrived and Trieste claimed the difference category and the eight more days of preparation.
With Pellegrino at precautionary rest due to a sore knee, Boniciolli opts for a starting quintet composed of Whelan, Sherrill, Mian, Gaspardo and Cusin. On the other side Legovich opens the dance with Bossi, Pacher, Deangeli, Fayne and Bartley.
The first basket of the derby was signed by Gaspardo, number 10 on his back and a great desire to prove that he is a superior player. The guests immediately reply with Bartley, but Carnera’s first ovation is all for Keshun Sherrill, who sweeps away doubts and mistrust by stamping 5 points in a row from outside. On 11-6 Legovich spends the first timeout, Trieste has to fix something.
Udine plays with ease and touches the maximum advantage in the 9 ‘on 24-16, with the pair Gaspardo-Sherrill to sign 17 points. Trieste swerves and clings to Bartley, one man show with 15 points out of the team 19.
In the second quarter the rotations increase, Udine plays for a long time without a role pivot but holds up. In the middle of the fraction, captain Antonutti gets into rhythm with a basket and an assist, Nobile sticks to Bartley, who has so far scored one point per minute.
The APU touches 39-31, the Argentine Whelan shows a good vision of the game, except for making a few mistakes too many. Trieste took advantage of it, and within three minutes placed an 8-0 break that impacted the score at 39 at the long break.
The match completely changes face in the second half, with Trieste pressing on the accelerator with Pacher, who first crushes the overtaking basket, then slips the triple of 43-46.
The APU, exactly like four days before in the friendly test in Tarvisio, begins to decline. All normal, because the giuliani started training eight days before the bianconeri. Turnouts are the faithful mirror of the decline in Udine: 5 in the first two quarters, 9 in the third.
Even the shooting percentages certify the lack of brilliance of the home team after the excellent start. This is how in the last quarter Trieste finally stretches, Bossi “is on fire” and scores five points that launch the team towards the final: 60-74 in the 34th minute.
The end is approaching, the reserve light flashes on the Apu dashboard and Legovich’s team reaches 20 points (70-90) with the free throws of Deangeli, one of the many former players in the match. Ungenerous deviation towards an APU that for 20 minutes offered a good basketball: the team must be reviewed later and complete.
Saturday 3 September new test, in the final for the 3rd and 4th place (duo at 6.15 pm) Udine faces Turin of coach Ciani in the first face to face with a team of the same category. The final between Trieste and Venice starts at 8.45pm.